‘Despite glowing starts to each campaign, Cesc’s contributions to the cause gradually decreased as each season drew to a close,” a club statement read.

‘From being someone who joined in with the attack, supplying and scoring goals, the magic tended to fade later on in each season. He only scored one, six and one goals in the last 24 games of each season.

‘For some reason, he was never as good in the second half of a season as in the first.’